£1.45 Million National Lottery Community Fund boost set to drive climate action through creativity in North East Lincolnshire

Our-Future-Starts-Here - Paul Cunningham Photography

THIS five-year project running from 2025-2030 will deliver a bold, transformational and future-facing public engagement programme that aims to educate, inspire and support more people to take climate action in the North East Lincolnshire region. Creative community activities, including youth-led ‘influencer’ projects, will increase environmental awareness, inspire community action and generate opportunities for ‘green skills’ development, linking to locally-based, world-leading green industries.

This opportunity comes from the Climate Action Fund, a £100 million commitment over 10 years from The National Lottery Community Fund to help reduce the carbon footprint of communities and inspire community-led climate action. This forms part of one of the funder’s four key missions in its 2030 strategy, ‘It starts with community’ - supporting communities to be environmentally sustainable.

Our Future Starts Here, originally established in 2022 by Grimsby-based arts organisation The Culture House, sees an evolved initiative into a longer-term and wider partnership project, managed by Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire (VANEL). Project Partners include The Culture House, Franklin Sixth Form College, Hammond House Productions and the University of Hull, who will be monitoring and evaluating Our Future Starts Here over the next five years to evidence its impact.

The five-year programme will include:

• The creation of five nature-based murals in residential areas co-created with the region’s young people, highlighting local wildlife and promoting environmental protection
• Five annual arts programmes featuring local, regional and national indoor and outdoor art, including installations, immersive activities and performance
• Weekly young Green Influencers groups and activities led by VANEL, leading to collaborative installations and participatory activities at pop-up events
• An annual STEM conference with a green skills focus hosted at Franklin Sixth Form College
• The production of creative soundscapes by young people exploring future-facing themes

Our Future Starts Here will also include five case studies, tracking individuals and families over the five years to evidence their ‘journey’ and the impact the programme and activities have had on them personally and their lifestyle.

Our Future Starts Here is additionally supported by Create North East Lincolnshire through North East Lincolnshire’s Arts Council England Place Partnership Programme, with the 2026 programme taking place in April and due to be announced in February.

The concept was originally developed by The Culture House with investment from the Cultural Development Fund, previously known locally as Grimsby Creates.

Charlotte Bowen, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Culture House, an Arts Council England National Portfolio arts charity based in Grimsby, said: “The new partnership is thrilled to have secured funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver the next five years of Our Future Starts Here.

“Our joint aim is to support, educate and inspire on what is often challenging subject matter, using arts and culture as a basis to engage, have fun, grow skills and understanding and create a sense of a shared journey for the better.”

Paula Grant, Chief Officer at VANEL, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to work even more closely with creative partners to embed a sustainable environmental impact across North East Lincolnshire. Our existing youth Green Influencers programme will be building on its great success in supporting children and families to engage with nature.

“As part of this new development, we’re going to be ensuring more young people are leading the way in positively influencing their peers and wider family members, by making a huge positive difference across our communities, in local green spaces, and for the future of our planet.”

Find out more and stay up to date at www.ourfuturestartshere.co.uk